Kibbeh

These have been a favorite of mine ever since I had them in Sevilla and Algeciras, Spain in 1988.  They serve these in ­­ http://www.alfanoose.com/ and other places in NYC.  For additional information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbeh.

According to wiki the origin is Aleppo, Syria.

Kibbeh
 
Outer Shells:

1 1/2 cups fine bulgur wheat
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped yellow onions
3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Stuffing:

1/2 pound ground lamb
3/4 cups finely chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped parsley, garnish
Yogurt Garlic Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

To make the outer shells, place the bulgur wheat in a bowl and cover with water. Let sit for 20 minutes then drain in a strainer, pressing to extract the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, blend the beef, onions, cumin, salt, and pepper to a paste. Add the strained bulgur wheat and mix well. Process again, in batches, in a food processor until smooth and pliable enough to work like a dough, adding a little ice water if needed.

OUTER SHELL:

To make the stuffing, in a large skillet, cook the meat, stirring, over medium-high heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, salt, allspice, pepper, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

To make the final dish, with wet hands, shape the raw meat-bulgur mixture into egg-sized balls. Make a hole down the center of each ball with an index finger to make a deep cup with a pointed bottom. Stuff each ball with about 1 tablespoon of the stuffing. Press down on the sides and top to enclose the filling and reshape into a smooth egg with a pointed top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, wetting your hands frequently.

FILLING:

Preheat the oil to 360 degrees F.

In batches, add the kibbeh balls to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature, with the Yogurt-Garlic Sauce for dipping.

COOKED:

Yogurt-Garlic Sauce:

1 cup strained plain yogurt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves (i used parsley)
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.

Yield: 1 cup

Read more at:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/kibbeh-with-yogurt-garlic-sauce-lebanon-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback